Central Vietnam

🍳Cooking Style

Spicier and more complex than north or south. Imperial court cuisine with many small dishes. Distinctive chili use.

📜Historical Context

The Nguyen dynasty in Hue developed elaborate court cuisine, while the region's poverty led to creative use of limited ingredients.

🌟Signature Dishes

Vietnam·Hard·5 hours 30 minutes

Bún Bò Huế

A deeply flavorful and spicy Huế-style beef noodle soup, characterized by its aromatic lemongrass-infused broth, tender beef shank, pork hock, and optional pork blood cubes. Served with round rice noodles and fresh garnishes.

Vietnam·Medium·1 hour 5 minutes

Bánh Xèo

Crispy, savory turmeric-infused crepes filled with succulent shrimp, tender pork, and fresh bean sprouts. Named for the characteristic 'sizzle' sound they make when cooking, Bánh Xèo is a delightful and interactive street food experience.

Vietnam·Easy·1 hour

Cơm Hến

A refreshing and unique Hue specialty, Cơm Hến features chilled rice mixed with tiny, flavorful baby clams, a medley of fresh herbs, crunchy toppings, and a hint of spicy chili oil. It's a delightful cold dish perfect for a light meal.

🍽️More from Central Vietnam

Vietnam·Hard·20-24 hours (minimum)

Bánh Chưng

A traditional Northern Vietnamese square sticky rice cake, essential for Lunar New Year (Tết). It features layers of glutinous rice, savory mung bean paste, and seasoned pork belly, all wrapped in dong leaves and boiled for an extended period. The square shape symbolizes the Earth.

Vietnam·Medium·1 hour 15 minutes

Bánh Cuốn

Delicate, paper-thin steamed rice sheets rolled around a savory filling of ground pork and wood ear mushrooms. Traditionally served as a light breakfast or snack, accompanied by thinly sliced pork sausage (cha lua), crispy fried shallots, and a side of sweet and savory dipping sauce (nuoc cham).

Vietnam·Medium·2 hours 45 minutes

Bánh Bao

Fluffy, cloud-like steamed buns filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground pork, Chinese sausage, wood ear mushrooms, and a whole hard-boiled quail egg. A beloved Vietnamese street food with Chinese culinary influences.

Vietnam·Medium·2 hours 30 minutes (including rising and cooling)

Bánh Bò

A delightful Vietnamese steamed cake known for its distinctive, airy honeycomb-like interior texture. It's wonderfully chewy, sweet, and often infused with pandan for a fragrant aroma.

Vietnam·Medium·1 hour 5 minutes

Bánh Cam

Bánh Cam are delightful Vietnamese deep-fried glutinous rice balls, traditionally filled with a sweet mung bean paste and coated in sesame seeds. They are known for their crispy exterior, chewy interior, and satisfyingly hollow center when fried correctly. A perfect sweet treat for any occasion.

Vietnam·Medium-Advanced·2 hours 15 minutes

Bánh Canh Cua

A comforting and flavorful Vietnamese thick noodle soup, featuring chewy tapioca noodles swimming in a rich, savory crab and pork bone broth, generously topped with sweet crab meat. A beloved specialty from Central Vietnam.